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Wraithborn
Wraithborn
Melanie Moore was just an ordinary teenager until the night a mysterious stranger, dying from battle wounds, bestowed upon her the power of the Wraithborn.
160 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2006
4 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
About the author
Joe Benítez
292 books180 followersJoe Benítez is an American comic book artist who has worked on such titles as "JLA", "Superman/Batman", "Detective Comics", "Supergirl", and "Titans" for DC Comics and "The Darkness" for Image Comics. He also co-created and penciled the sci-fi series "Weapon Zero" and the dark fantasy mini-series "Magdalena: Blood Divine" for Image. In 2005, Joe published his first creator-owned mini-series "Wraithborn" through Wildstorm. In 2009, he stepped in to finish up Michael Turner's run on "Soulfire". Joe is currently working on his steampunk adventure series, "Lady Mechanika".
http://www.joebenitez.com
http://www.joebenitez.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 8, 2018
I read this on kindle unlimited but I want to get the books now! The storyline is descent and I'm sure it's going to get better. But the graphics are amazing! They got me right off the bat!
Mel 🖤🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐺🐾
September 8, 2018
I didn't expect much but this is surprisingly pretty good. Benitez is a talented artist and he's toned down the anatomically impossible women. The basic premise is that the old gods of history can take over humans to try and regain their previous status. The Wraithborn is the one person with the power to fight the gods. Our heroine is a mousy teenager who happens to be in the wrong place. The previous Wraithborn is dying and passes his power on to her.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2017
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
I'm giving this book 2 stars only because I saw that there was a story hidden somewhere deep down there.
The abovementioned story is a very simple YA plot: a girl who just wants to mind her own business is drawn into a world of darkness where she has to learn to fight against evil, when all she wants to do it continue her life as normal.
This arc has been used only a million times in YA novels, but if they continue drawing readers, including myself, then that's not necessarily a bad thing.
However, everything goes downhill for Wraithborn after this. The plot doesn't have anything that sets it apart from other similar books, the heroes are in no way charming, the villain is powerful only in words and offers no real plot twists or challenges, and last, but not least, the artwork is very unappealing.
Melanie, the main character, is very, very hard to like. She's weak, lacks will power, and is very self-centered (although here we have to mention that many teenagers are self-centered in general). But the thing which bothered me the most about her is the fact that she's not a person who wants to help others. She prefers staying off the radar and protecting her own ass. Then, a jump to the future, and she has been completely transformed into a savior of the defenseless. I'm not buying it.
Story-wise, Melanie would not have survived at all, had there not been deus ex machina in every single issue. Every time she is in trouble, there's a masked warrior coming to her rescue, and in very special occasions, she has magic mojo that she can't control just bursting out of her. Valek somehow knows that he needs to find her, and also guesses every time she would be in distress, and even though they barely talk, aside from battle grunts, by the end of the volume they have developed a special bond.
I won't even bother commenting the other characters because they are so shallow and only there so that it seems like there's some characters.
What bothered me the most, though, is the art. The women are almost naked, always, they have identical faces (which makes it hard to understand what they mean when they say that Melanie is unattractive: She looks just like the rest of y'all?), and they all look like sex slaves. Now, I have nothing against sexy, but there's sexy as in sultry and/or erotic, and sexy as in just cheap. I would not say that Valek, fighting alongside his sister, whose panties are there for all to see, is sexy. I would say that is kind of bothersome, actually.
Classy: the man and the woman on the left, Valek and Kiara, you might have guessed, are siblings.
Bothersome is also the fact that although Melanie is the hero of this book, and apparently she is to become a big badass sometime in the future, on all of the covers she is just hanging there while almighty Valek is behind her back in a fighting position. Because even when girls are strong, they still can't make it without a guy to protect them. Great message! Not.
I'm giving this book 2 stars only because I saw that there was a story hidden somewhere deep down there.
The abovementioned story is a very simple YA plot: a girl who just wants to mind her own business is drawn into a world of darkness where she has to learn to fight against evil, when all she wants to do it continue her life as normal.
This arc has been used only a million times in YA novels, but if they continue drawing readers, including myself, then that's not necessarily a bad thing.
However, everything goes downhill for Wraithborn after this. The plot doesn't have anything that sets it apart from other similar books, the heroes are in no way charming, the villain is powerful only in words and offers no real plot twists or challenges, and last, but not least, the artwork is very unappealing.
Melanie, the main character, is very, very hard to like. She's weak, lacks will power, and is very self-centered (although here we have to mention that many teenagers are self-centered in general). But the thing which bothered me the most about her is the fact that she's not a person who wants to help others. She prefers staying off the radar and protecting her own ass. Then, a jump to the future, and she has been completely transformed into a savior of the defenseless. I'm not buying it.
Story-wise, Melanie would not have survived at all, had there not been deus ex machina in every single issue. Every time she is in trouble, there's a masked warrior coming to her rescue, and in very special occasions, she has magic mojo that she can't control just bursting out of her. Valek somehow knows that he needs to find her, and also guesses every time she would be in distress, and even though they barely talk, aside from battle grunts, by the end of the volume they have developed a special bond.
I won't even bother commenting the other characters because they are so shallow and only there so that it seems like there's some characters.
What bothered me the most, though, is the art. The women are almost naked, always, they have identical faces (which makes it hard to understand what they mean when they say that Melanie is unattractive: She looks just like the rest of y'all?), and they all look like sex slaves. Now, I have nothing against sexy, but there's sexy as in sultry and/or erotic, and sexy as in just cheap. I would not say that Valek, fighting alongside his sister, whose panties are there for all to see, is sexy. I would say that is kind of bothersome, actually.
Classy: the man and the woman on the left, Valek and Kiara, you might have guessed, are siblings.
Bothersome is also the fact that although Melanie is the hero of this book, and apparently she is to become a big badass sometime in the future, on all of the covers she is just hanging there while almighty Valek is behind her back in a fighting position. Because even when girls are strong, they still can't make it without a guy to protect them. Great message! Not.
The cover of issue #5. As you can see, Melanie is a fierce warrior, she needs no man, and she... Wait. She's just standing there looking confused and defenseless in the shadow of a strong male.
March 11, 2016
I picked this issue up on my Comixology app becuase when I heard that the team who make Lady Mechanika were bringing out a series with another female lead character, this time against demon-things, well, that was enough to sell me on it.
This is just the first issue but it's already got a tonne of potential. The artwork alone is luminescent, beautiful and coloured expertly (as I have come to expect from this team) and I just found myself connecting with the story really well too.
This is the story of a young girl who gets all tangled up (being in the wrong place at the wrong time sucks!) in some ancient and powerful magic. She was just a normal girl, with the normal worries of a girl at school. After the extraordinary circumstances that put her in the path of this magic, she's now the Wraithborn...
We just get the opening story in this issue, meet our character and see how she got her powers. I think there's still a lot more for her to learn, but this was a strong entry issue. I will certainly be continuing on with this series in future! 4*s
This is just the first issue but it's already got a tonne of potential. The artwork alone is luminescent, beautiful and coloured expertly (as I have come to expect from this team) and I just found myself connecting with the story really well too.
This is the story of a young girl who gets all tangled up (being in the wrong place at the wrong time sucks!) in some ancient and powerful magic. She was just a normal girl, with the normal worries of a girl at school. After the extraordinary circumstances that put her in the path of this magic, she's now the Wraithborn...
We just get the opening story in this issue, meet our character and see how she got her powers. I think there's still a lot more for her to learn, but this was a strong entry issue. I will certainly be continuing on with this series in future! 4*s
June 10, 2017
Why are awkward teenage superheroes so common anyway? Why can't the main character be just a normal, adult male with a career, trying to balance the responsibility of having a superhuman ability? Oh, wait, that sounds like Superman. Ok, maybe an adult woman whose life is turned around by an event that transforms her. That sounds like She-Hulk, doesn't it? Fine, I guess teenager works. At least this one has swords, not just webs (wink, wink).
Melanie Moore is a teenager with a great power and the task to use it against a race of beings that once ruled over humanity. She does that job well, but she is not popular in school because of her awkwardness and cowardice. She received the power of the Wraithborn from Aegeus, a dying warrior belonging to a secret brotherhood, together with an advice - to find brother Valin. The power opens her eyes to another world secretly inhabiting ours, a world of magic with creatures that want to capture her, like those commanded by Brijit. What follows is a roller coaster ride with great graphics and plenty of blood, all centered on who gets the Wraithborn: the powerful Brijit and her resurrected minions, Valin of the brotherhood who has been trained to wield the Wraithborn, his sister Kiara who has been secretly training under Brijit or the poor, innocent Melanie who can't make heads or tails of what's happening in her life.
Melanie Moore is a teenager with a great power and the task to use it against a race of beings that once ruled over humanity. She does that job well, but she is not popular in school because of her awkwardness and cowardice. She received the power of the Wraithborn from Aegeus, a dying warrior belonging to a secret brotherhood, together with an advice - to find brother Valin. The power opens her eyes to another world secretly inhabiting ours, a world of magic with creatures that want to capture her, like those commanded by Brijit. What follows is a roller coaster ride with great graphics and plenty of blood, all centered on who gets the Wraithborn: the powerful Brijit and her resurrected minions, Valin of the brotherhood who has been trained to wield the Wraithborn, his sister Kiara who has been secretly training under Brijit or the poor, innocent Melanie who can't make heads or tails of what's happening in her life.
February 15, 2017
An introduction to a reluctant heroine or is it backstory?
Seems cool enough although I still don't get why the ladies have to wear skimpy clothes. So impractical.
And Melani has a ton of monologue throughout the story.
Seems cool enough although I still don't get why the ladies have to wear skimpy clothes. So impractical.
And Melani has a ton of monologue throughout the story.
February 27, 2017
[I received an e-copy of this comics through NetGalley.]
This first volume collects issues 1 to 6 of the 'Redux edition. Most of the book is actually a flashback (explaing what led to the events of the first pages), but reads as a full story nonetheless. It introduces us to the main characters of 'Wraithborn', starting with Melanie, a normal and shy teenager who only wants to go through high school life relatively unscathed and unbullied, and thus does her best to remain invisible and not attracted unwanted attention. Only that's what she does when she accidentally receives the power of the Wraithborn, intended for another, and finds herself pursued by an antagonist who wants nothing more than this power for herself.
I found the art in general fairly good, with dynamic action scenes and vibrant colours, although (as often in such cases) the women's clothing is nothing too practical, and Melanie's features seemed maybe too... mature? Including when she's still a clueless teenager. So at first I thought she was more like 25 instead of 15, which felt a bit weird.
Some characters were likeable, like Zoe, with her weird fashion sense and the way she helps Melanie. Mel herself was more subdued, so it took me more time to warm up to her. Val... well, I still kind of wonder if he's going to tell Mel the truth, or if he'll do the not-so-nice thing. Could go either way. He didn't act like the vindicative, jealous type he could've been, all circumstances considered, so bonus point.
The story itself was interesting enough, albeit not too original compared to other works with similar themes. The villains are ruthless, the heroes may or may not be set up for betrayal later by those they trust most, and there's the lingering mystery of why the original 'carrier' of the Wraithborn was outside, instead of preparing for the ceremony (and therefore had to give his power to the first passer-by who happened to be around): either there's something fishy here or it was a plot hole, and I really hope it's the former... but, of course, this is the kind of information that is likely to be revealed only later.
Conclusion: I may pick the next volume in ebook, but probably not in paper version.
This first volume collects issues 1 to 6 of the 'Redux edition. Most of the book is actually a flashback (explaing what led to the events of the first pages), but reads as a full story nonetheless. It introduces us to the main characters of 'Wraithborn', starting with Melanie, a normal and shy teenager who only wants to go through high school life relatively unscathed and unbullied, and thus does her best to remain invisible and not attracted unwanted attention. Only that's what she does when she accidentally receives the power of the Wraithborn, intended for another, and finds herself pursued by an antagonist who wants nothing more than this power for herself.
I found the art in general fairly good, with dynamic action scenes and vibrant colours, although (as often in such cases) the women's clothing is nothing too practical, and Melanie's features seemed maybe too... mature? Including when she's still a clueless teenager. So at first I thought she was more like 25 instead of 15, which felt a bit weird.
Some characters were likeable, like Zoe, with her weird fashion sense and the way she helps Melanie. Mel herself was more subdued, so it took me more time to warm up to her. Val... well, I still kind of wonder if he's going to tell Mel the truth, or if he'll do the not-so-nice thing. Could go either way. He didn't act like the vindicative, jealous type he could've been, all circumstances considered, so bonus point.
The story itself was interesting enough, albeit not too original compared to other works with similar themes. The villains are ruthless, the heroes may or may not be set up for betrayal later by those they trust most, and there's the lingering mystery of why the original 'carrier' of the Wraithborn was outside, instead of preparing for the ceremony (and therefore had to give his power to the first passer-by who happened to be around): either there's something fishy here or it was a plot hole, and I really hope it's the former... but, of course, this is the kind of information that is likely to be revealed only later.
Conclusion: I may pick the next volume in ebook, but probably not in paper version.
January 2, 2022
Pretty stereotypical YA fantasy with a damsel in distress that needs constant saving by a masked sword wielding hero. Lots of panty shots and butt poses. Can't complain.
March 1, 2017
Wraithborn was pretty decent. The art is awesome. The storyline was interesting, if not entirely original. The characters may have been the weakest part for me. Melanie seemed weak... though it seems like she might become badass later. Would be interested in checking out a second volume.
December 26, 2017
The art is just brilliant. I was mesmerized right from the opening scene, where the moon was drawn spectacularly. The story is fine, but the art is what made me spellbound. Now I'm going to have to read every work by this author/illustrator. 4 stars are entirely for the art.
Note - I received a free copy of the book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review in any way.
Note - I received a free copy of the book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review in any way.
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March 10, 2019Awkward girl is accidentally given mystical powers and must become a ninja and help save the world? Yes, please, sign me up.
What I liked
Art: As I said in my review of Lady Mechanika, I really like Joe Benítez's work. Wraithborn does harken back to Wildstorm's days of ridiculous female costumes and Lady Gaga foot ware, but the action sequences were great and the illustrations were dramatic and pretty. I wasn't a fan of the imps running around in Borg S&M wear, but I got over it.
Story: It's not a new story, but I do enjoy the kid-gets-magical-powers-and-must-come-out-of-their-shell-to-defend-the-world trope. I appreciated the fact that Valin didn't become some crazy megalomaniac trying to get back 'his' powers. He wants to do the right thing even if it's hard. All of his training and studying does cause him to be a bit blind to what's going on around him. I liked that we saw a bit of both main characters' home life, but the focus was generally on Melanie. The book was also peppered with funny bits and one liners. Who doesn't like laughs mixed in with their demons and swordplay?
Valin: I'm not a fan of his extra long sideburns, but I might have a new comic book boyfriend (sorry, Shatterstar). He's so incredibly deadly, but stiff and formal, and still tries to be a good guy. Huh, he actually sounds quite a bit like Shatterstar. I must have a comic book hero type.
What I'm on the fence about
Execution of the story: There are some weird parts in the story. Melanie's dad is totally unconcerned about some guy almost kidnapping he, it's more important that she realizes she was being chased by rabid dogs, not monsters. Valin's sister trains with him and knows he's in a secret society, but she's not supposed to know about demons? And why does he refer to their family as his family. Is she not his sister? It also feels like the story uses all of the high school stereotypes possible. It gives a fun idea a plastic feel. There was also an attempt to tug on the heart strings, but it was more like a sympathy 2x4 to the face. I don't think my eye roll was the reaction they were going for.
Some of the outfits: I don't know about you, but I always battle the forces of evil while wearing a swimsuit. The outfits look cool and tough but sometimes a bit silly. And Zoe's grandmother dressed up as some type of Voodoo nun? Do you know how hot and humid it gets in New Orleans? I barely survived playing soccer down there in the 'fall' and Benítez has grandma in layers of fabric with only her eyes and nose peaking out. I was suffering from second hand heatstroke just looking at her.
What didn't work for me
Some of the Characters: I liked Melanie but I think the authors went over the top in making her a cowardly nerd. They do lay some groundwork on why she's become such a loner, but I'm torn between feeling sorry for her and not liking her. The high school background characters were such stereotypes that it affected my enjoyment. Zoe has a lot of potential, but right now she's lost in the Manic Pixie Dream Girl curse.
Rating: 3.5 - 4
I can't quite decide. I'm intrigued enough to look for and read the next volume if I can get it for free. A fun story with cool characters was dragged down by an overload of stereotypes. I'm hoping that volume 2 will be something that really sucks me in.
What I liked
Art: As I said in my review of Lady Mechanika, I really like Joe Benítez's work. Wraithborn does harken back to Wildstorm's days of ridiculous female costumes and Lady Gaga foot ware, but the action sequences were great and the illustrations were dramatic and pretty. I wasn't a fan of the imps running around in Borg S&M wear, but I got over it.
Story: It's not a new story, but I do enjoy the kid-gets-magical-powers-and-must-come-out-of-their-shell-to-defend-the-world trope. I appreciated the fact that Valin didn't become some crazy megalomaniac trying to get back 'his' powers. He wants to do the right thing even if it's hard. All of his training and studying does cause him to be a bit blind to what's going on around him. I liked that we saw a bit of both main characters' home life, but the focus was generally on Melanie. The book was also peppered with funny bits and one liners. Who doesn't like laughs mixed in with their demons and swordplay?
Valin: I'm not a fan of his extra long sideburns, but I might have a new comic book boyfriend (sorry, Shatterstar). He's so incredibly deadly, but stiff and formal, and still tries to be a good guy. Huh, he actually sounds quite a bit like Shatterstar. I must have a comic book hero type.
What I'm on the fence about
Execution of the story: There are some weird parts in the story. Melanie's dad is totally unconcerned about some guy almost kidnapping he, it's more important that she realizes she was being chased by rabid dogs, not monsters. Valin's sister trains with him and knows he's in a secret society, but she's not supposed to know about demons? And why does he refer to their family as his family. Is she not his sister? It also feels like the story uses all of the high school stereotypes possible. It gives a fun idea a plastic feel. There was also an attempt to tug on the heart strings, but it was more like a sympathy 2x4 to the face. I don't think my eye roll was the reaction they were going for.
Some of the outfits: I don't know about you, but I always battle the forces of evil while wearing a swimsuit. The outfits look cool and tough but sometimes a bit silly. And Zoe's grandmother dressed up as some type of Voodoo nun? Do you know how hot and humid it gets in New Orleans? I barely survived playing soccer down there in the 'fall' and Benítez has grandma in layers of fabric with only her eyes and nose peaking out. I was suffering from second hand heatstroke just looking at her.
What didn't work for me
Some of the Characters: I liked Melanie but I think the authors went over the top in making her a cowardly nerd. They do lay some groundwork on why she's become such a loner, but I'm torn between feeling sorry for her and not liking her. The high school background characters were such stereotypes that it affected my enjoyment. Zoe has a lot of potential, but right now she's lost in the Manic Pixie Dream Girl curse.
Rating: 3.5 - 4
I can't quite decide. I'm intrigued enough to look for and read the next volume if I can get it for free. A fun story with cool characters was dragged down by an overload of stereotypes. I'm hoping that volume 2 will be something that really sucks me in.
May 19, 2017
This review was originally published on NetGalley.
Great art and a fast-paced story, a nice read.
Living in Louisiana with her father, the shy high-schooler Melanie has a pretty uneventful life. She works at the local bookstore with her classmate Zoe and tries to be there for her father when she can. Things change the night she’s walking home from the cemetery. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Melanie receives the Wraithbornn, a power destined for a member of the warrior monks called Valin. When she starts seeing spirits at school, Zoe is the only one that believes and helps her. With demons after her gift, Melanie will need all the help she can get if she wants to get out alive.
The art of this graphic novel is great: bright colours, details, especially in the fighting scenes and a perfect balance between the drawings and the text. The story is well-balanced since there are moments of action and moments to recover from those moments: the action takes place when demons appear and they fight; and slower moments when both Melanie and Valin are trying to figure what happened. Even so, I didn’t grow bored at all.
Melanie is a good main character. Her shyness and the way she reacts to the unfortunate events around her make her very human but at the same time I could see her courage and how she grows along the novel. Zoe is an awesome character and my favourite. She’s a good friend and her powers make her the perfect companion of Melanie that tends to panic.
Overall, a good story!
Great art and a fast-paced story, a nice read.
Living in Louisiana with her father, the shy high-schooler Melanie has a pretty uneventful life. She works at the local bookstore with her classmate Zoe and tries to be there for her father when she can. Things change the night she’s walking home from the cemetery. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Melanie receives the Wraithbornn, a power destined for a member of the warrior monks called Valin. When she starts seeing spirits at school, Zoe is the only one that believes and helps her. With demons after her gift, Melanie will need all the help she can get if she wants to get out alive.
The art of this graphic novel is great: bright colours, details, especially in the fighting scenes and a perfect balance between the drawings and the text. The story is well-balanced since there are moments of action and moments to recover from those moments: the action takes place when demons appear and they fight; and slower moments when both Melanie and Valin are trying to figure what happened. Even so, I didn’t grow bored at all.
Melanie is a good main character. Her shyness and the way she reacts to the unfortunate events around her make her very human but at the same time I could see her courage and how she grows along the novel. Zoe is an awesome character and my favourite. She’s a good friend and her powers make her the perfect companion of Melanie that tends to panic.
Overall, a good story!
November 18, 2017
'Wraighbor, Volume 1' by Joe Benitez with art by M. M. Chen is an origin story about someone recruited to fight supernatural evil.
Melanie Moore is a timid picked on girl going to school. Valek is a young warrior in training, waiting for the day he becomes the new Wraithborn. When Melanie is at the wrong place at the right time, she unwittingly becomes the new Wraithborn. Now she is being hunted and Valek is left to help her discover who she has become.
It's a pretty standard by-the-numbers story. It's hard to feel much for most of the characters because there just isn't a lot of development. Why Melanie trusts Valek is odd. Why Valek just doesn't kill Melanie and recover the Wraithborn based on her incompetence seems out of character for his overly serious demeanor. The art is pretty, but the characters all have overly long necks. Maybe that's the case in the Lady Mechanika book, but it just stood out here.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Benitez Productions, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Melanie Moore is a timid picked on girl going to school. Valek is a young warrior in training, waiting for the day he becomes the new Wraithborn. When Melanie is at the wrong place at the right time, she unwittingly becomes the new Wraithborn. Now she is being hunted and Valek is left to help her discover who she has become.
It's a pretty standard by-the-numbers story. It's hard to feel much for most of the characters because there just isn't a lot of development. Why Melanie trusts Valek is odd. Why Valek just doesn't kill Melanie and recover the Wraithborn based on her incompetence seems out of character for his overly serious demeanor. The art is pretty, but the characters all have overly long necks. Maybe that's the case in the Lady Mechanika book, but it just stood out here.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Benitez Productions, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
April 28, 2018
2.5/5 This was a bit like Buffy-lite. It would have been Buffy if the vampire slayer had been 1st season Willow instead of Buffy. You have Melanie - a reluctant teen who wants to disappear from her cruel peers who instead finds herself transformed into the Wraithborn.
Don't even get me started on the hyper-sexualized depiction of female characters. I had read Lady Mechanika and assumed it was because some man had made her into what he wanted, but turns out, that's just how Joe Benitez has decided to design female characters. It's slightly embarrassing when you start looking at two siblings sparring and Kaira basically sticks her butt in her brother's crotch the whole time. Also, one of the female baddies wearing basically a banded bikini outfit that you'd see in some sort of S&M store, battling it out with a fully armored Valin...because reasons.
Seriously, a lot of men shouldn't design the figures and outfits of female-led storylines. It's just embarrassing.
Bonus points for Zoe and her grandmother. Those are characters I'd like to see more of.
Don't even get me started on the hyper-sexualized depiction of female characters. I had read Lady Mechanika and assumed it was because some man had made her into what he wanted, but turns out, that's just how Joe Benitez has decided to design female characters. It's slightly embarrassing when you start looking at two siblings sparring and Kaira basically sticks her butt in her brother's crotch the whole time. Also, one of the female baddies wearing basically a banded bikini outfit that you'd see in some sort of S&M store, battling it out with a fully armored Valin...because reasons.
Seriously, a lot of men shouldn't design the figures and outfits of female-led storylines. It's just embarrassing.
Bonus points for Zoe and her grandmother. Those are characters I'd like to see more of.
May 31, 2017
I enjoyed Wraithborn, it did not disappoint and the artwork was very good. At the same time it just felt like more of the same. Similar story and characters, nothing that really made this stand out from any number of other good but not special or unique books. Special is difficult, I understand that, but I think if experienced writers and illustrators are going to work on something they can at least shoot for unique. Something unique that falls a little short is, for me, far more interesting than the usual done well. If you're going to do the usual, then make it special.
That sounds more negative than I intend. I would still recommend this, especially to readers who aren't immersed in graphic novels and similar story lines.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
That sounds more negative than I intend. I would still recommend this, especially to readers who aren't immersed in graphic novels and similar story lines.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
March 16, 2017
Wraithborn Volume 1 collects the six issues of the Redux edition of the Wraithborn story. It was written by Marcia Chen and Joe Benitez. Valin, the apprentice warrior, was next in line to receive "the Wraithborn", but Melanie got in the way of the transfer and ended up gifted with that mystical power. Together only they can stop an ancient evil from rising and enslaving all humankind.
Wraithborn Volume 1 is a well drawn and visually entertaining graphic novel. I enjoyed the artwork and the story, but think the use of the shy, hapless teenage girl suddenly receiving mystical powers and needing a guy around to explain and save her is more than a little over done. I did like that there were a number of strong female characters tossed in the mix, and that hints of Melanie becoming a strong fighter at some point were there. However, the shy dutiful girl unable or willing to stand up for herself or others is not my idea of a hero, no matter what kind of strength her magical powers will give her. As a fairly withdrawn person myself, I think the writers need to meet a few people more like the character they are writing. Most of the people I know that are willing to let themselves by abused, will fight tooth and nail to keep the same from happening to others- including locker room teasing and such. Aside from Melanie's character flaws, I liked the story, but I was not overly thrilled with it overall.
Wraithborn Volume 1 is a well drawn and visually entertaining graphic novel. I enjoyed the artwork and the story, but think the use of the shy, hapless teenage girl suddenly receiving mystical powers and needing a guy around to explain and save her is more than a little over done. I did like that there were a number of strong female characters tossed in the mix, and that hints of Melanie becoming a strong fighter at some point were there. However, the shy dutiful girl unable or willing to stand up for herself or others is not my idea of a hero, no matter what kind of strength her magical powers will give her. As a fairly withdrawn person myself, I think the writers need to meet a few people more like the character they are writing. Most of the people I know that are willing to let themselves by abused, will fight tooth and nail to keep the same from happening to others- including locker room teasing and such. Aside from Melanie's character flaws, I liked the story, but I was not overly thrilled with it overall.
August 10, 2021
Meh. I'll fully admit I don't care for the stretched out (ladies) art style of Benitez. And he could've given ANY of these poor women some clothing. The story isn't terrible, but there isn't enough to it for it to be that exciting, either. If this was a prequel to a story I already knew, one where the main character is a badass demon fighter already, I might've been more interested. But she starts as a weak, uninteresting teenage girl, and by the end...she's still a weak, uninteresting teenage girl who happens to be inhabited by some magical power that she knows nothing about. Meh, again.
March 19, 2017
Heavily derivative dark fantasy, with some dreadfully written thought bubbles as a girl has to work out her new position as demon-slayer, and some artwork that thinks it's a whole lot better than it actually is. What's worse is the way it brings in to some horrendously hokey mythology all the tropes of the worst American college dramas – the jock kid, the prim cheerleaders, the token fat one, the Marilyn Manson wannabe, the, er, bug-eyed freaky black one. A real patience-tester.
August 21, 2020
✨ Read for the 2020 KU Shitathon™ challenge - [Yearly Edition] - over at Maraya's Cave Of Freaking Wonders ✨
♠ Plan B: #1 of 3 -- Month: July ♠
♠ Plan B: #1 of 3 -- Month: July ♠
March 8, 2019
I really enjoyed the story and wish there would be more to come but after 13 years it seems unlikely.
The story has a lot a potential and the artwork was great.
The only things I didn´t like were that Melanie had a bit of Bella-vibes going on at the beginning and the oversexualization of all the women even the teenage girls.
The story has a lot a potential and the artwork was great.
The only things I didn´t like were that Melanie had a bit of Bella-vibes going on at the beginning and the oversexualization of all the women even the teenage girls.
May 17, 2023
I liked the comic who zooms in on a girl who doesn't want to be invisible but if she does something wrong she wants to be invisible. Barely friends and then she is chosen while she just doesn't want to be special.
She wants to fit in, she wants to be popular. This was not the kind of popular she meant. More demons want to harm her, follow her and hunt her... Cheer leading sounds rather save now.
She wants to fit in, she wants to be popular. This was not the kind of popular she meant. More demons want to harm her, follow her and hunt her... Cheer leading sounds rather save now.
February 24, 2017
***** I got the digital version of this from Netgally.com in return for an honest review. *****
Joe Benitez is one of the creators of this series and also the artist for the series. Since he's the artist, I knew that the art was going to fantastic before ever flipping to the first page. Benitez is one one of the top 15 comic artists of the last 20 years, in my opinion. He got his start at Image Comics under the Top Cow banner. He produced great art for both Witchblade and The Darkness there. Those 2 titles are what the art in this book reminds me of since they're all about similar subjects and have the same types of heroes, villains, and creatures involved. if you're really into beautiful comic art and like a great looking splash page or two in every issue, a Joe Benitez illustrated book should be something you enjoy. The art gets 5 stars.
Marcia Chen, the other creator, co-plots the story with Benitez and writes the script. The story isn't very original as there are tons of similar stories in literature, even quite a few in the world of comics. Demons exist. A secret society has sworn to fight those demons and over the years have developed the means to do so. Only one member of the society holds the power to fight them. That power is called the "Wraithborn". When the current wielder is near death, they pass the power on to the next in line. Alas, there is no member of the society around when the current wielder is dying. So, he passes the power on to a teenaged girl in order to keep the demons from getting their hands on the power.
The teen that receives the Wraithborn in named Melanie. She's an only child that lives with her widowed father. She's an outcast at her Louisiana high school. She works in a bookstore with a fellow student named Zoe. Melanie keeps Zoe from being fired at work and the two become pretty close. Zoe is the granddaughter of a woman that owns a voodoo shop. The main demon of the story is named Brijit. She sends her minions to track down Melanie so she can get the Wraithborn. Melanie sees a spirit at school. Everyone else thinks she is crazy, but Zoe asks her about seeing. Melanie learns that Zoe has some powers of her own. After being attacked by the demons Brijit sent for her, Melanie contacts Zoe and starts asking a bunch of questions. A member of the society that fights the demons is dispatched to find out why the Wraithborn wielder has yet to return he helps Melanie fight.
Some of this story may sound familiar like a teen girl fighting demons (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or one single person wielding a mystical power that passes to someone else upon death (Also Buffy. Plus Witchblade. Numerous others.) Still, the story has enough good bits to keep you from thinking too much about having read this type of thing before. The dialogue is decent, but never great. It doesn't have a niche like the witty banter that Buffy does to make it stand out. I give the writing 3 stars for being somewhat enjoyable, but never distinguishing itself from the crowd.
This ends up being a 4 star book after the 3 star writing and 5 star art are averaged together. The story may not be the best thing ever written, but the art is beautiful enough to make this enjoyable for any fan supernatural comics.
Joe Benitez is one of the creators of this series and also the artist for the series. Since he's the artist, I knew that the art was going to fantastic before ever flipping to the first page. Benitez is one one of the top 15 comic artists of the last 20 years, in my opinion. He got his start at Image Comics under the Top Cow banner. He produced great art for both Witchblade and The Darkness there. Those 2 titles are what the art in this book reminds me of since they're all about similar subjects and have the same types of heroes, villains, and creatures involved. if you're really into beautiful comic art and like a great looking splash page or two in every issue, a Joe Benitez illustrated book should be something you enjoy. The art gets 5 stars.
Marcia Chen, the other creator, co-plots the story with Benitez and writes the script. The story isn't very original as there are tons of similar stories in literature, even quite a few in the world of comics. Demons exist. A secret society has sworn to fight those demons and over the years have developed the means to do so. Only one member of the society holds the power to fight them. That power is called the "Wraithborn". When the current wielder is near death, they pass the power on to the next in line. Alas, there is no member of the society around when the current wielder is dying. So, he passes the power on to a teenaged girl in order to keep the demons from getting their hands on the power.
The teen that receives the Wraithborn in named Melanie. She's an only child that lives with her widowed father. She's an outcast at her Louisiana high school. She works in a bookstore with a fellow student named Zoe. Melanie keeps Zoe from being fired at work and the two become pretty close. Zoe is the granddaughter of a woman that owns a voodoo shop. The main demon of the story is named Brijit. She sends her minions to track down Melanie so she can get the Wraithborn. Melanie sees a spirit at school. Everyone else thinks she is crazy, but Zoe asks her about seeing. Melanie learns that Zoe has some powers of her own. After being attacked by the demons Brijit sent for her, Melanie contacts Zoe and starts asking a bunch of questions. A member of the society that fights the demons is dispatched to find out why the Wraithborn wielder has yet to return he helps Melanie fight.
Some of this story may sound familiar like a teen girl fighting demons (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or one single person wielding a mystical power that passes to someone else upon death (Also Buffy. Plus Witchblade. Numerous others.) Still, the story has enough good bits to keep you from thinking too much about having read this type of thing before. The dialogue is decent, but never great. It doesn't have a niche like the witty banter that Buffy does to make it stand out. I give the writing 3 stars for being somewhat enjoyable, but never distinguishing itself from the crowd.
This ends up being a 4 star book after the 3 star writing and 5 star art are averaged together. The story may not be the best thing ever written, but the art is beautiful enough to make this enjoyable for any fan supernatural comics.
April 8, 2017
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We've seen this plot before from Benitez and I can't help but feel this has become a tired retread: random supernatural 'power up' bestowed on American normie, all baddies chase her, she has to learn to use the power. There's some random voodoo but the whole Cajun Louisiana setting is fairly wasted as a milieu. There are the usual quirky side characters but even by urban fantasy standards, they ended up being unrealistic rather than wholly distinct. One part Witchblade and one part The Darkness, this is an origin story that sadly fails to inspire despite Benitez' superior artwork (which feels on auto-pilot here, especially compared to Lady Mechanika).Story: Melanie has the power of the Wraithborn - and she hunts supernatural evils. She flashes back to how she got the powers: given to her in desperation and intended for another wielder, she is clumsy and only through the aid of the original recipient can she survive. But she doesn't want this power and there are things she isn't being told about it.
Wraithborn Volume 1 is an origin story - we pretty much follow the cliche 'outcast' teen who will get 'greatness thrust upon her.' Because it is Benitez, the villain/big bad will always be a voluptuous scantily clad female. The males will be fairly unassuming and really always play second fiddle to the women. After all, that's what Benitz' audience apparently wants to see - the long limbed, bodice popping women in various 'butts out' poses.
Story here is clearly secondary and it is a shame that yet again, Benitez gives us a bland retread of what he did in the 1990s rather than striking out and giving us something wholly original and stunning. The layouts are always amazing and he really knows how to draw action scenes. But with a bland and cliched story, it all falls so flat. There are only so many pretty pictures to look at - especially since there is always so much annoying small text all over the striking women.
After all this time, I really want more from Benitez. I wish he would hire an editor to really push him to excel and create distinct titles rather than the same-old, same-old. Honestly, I can just go reread some of the Top Cow 1990s stuff and pretty much get the same thing as what is in Wraithborn. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
March 22, 2017
Pretty decent story. The plot is rather cliched but nonetheless entertaining. A "force" called Wraithborn is passed on to an ordinary, timid girl. Then the bad guys (demons) are after her and so are the good guys (comparatively). Neither is too interested in saving her, just getting the Wraithborn. However, Wraithborn seems to move things in his own direction when needed and the story ends with a bit of a twisty cliffhanger. Fairly enjoyable story with fantastic art.
November 3, 2021
I hadn't read this book since it first came out over a decade ago. I remembered really liking it, but boy was this an incredible read the second time around! The story was very engaging, and Benitez's art was even more spectacular than I remembered. A super fun, beautiful book!
October 17, 2024
Rounding up to 3 bc I really dug the art, but honestly it's overall a 2.5 or so, extremely average plot and writing and I will probably completely forget it next week. It could serve as a solid foundation for a more interesting book, movie or show I guess.
July 27, 2018
Why does practically everyone look like they are either a whore or going to an s&m party?!
September 10, 2019
The artwork is beautiful. I would like more from the story, though.
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